Introduction

Marlowe’s Dr. Faustus was published in 1592 and appears to be an example of a Renaissance
tragedy. However, many critics argue that Marlowe’s Dr. Faustus owes a lot to the medieval
dramatic tradition, to be precise, to the morality play tradition. Describing different types of
the medieval plays, Philip Tilling claims that “the morality play as a kind of medieval
religious play arose alongside the mystery play and was to continue, in modified form,
throughout the Elizabethan period, culminating in Marlowe’s Faustus.”[1] So, Tilling
considers Dr. Faustus to be “a morality play in a modified form“. In my paper I see Dr.
Faustus as a Renaissance tragedy which was to a certain degree influenced by the medieval
dramatic tradition and has some characteristic features of the morality play. Proceeding on
this assumption, I am going to concentrate on the play, pursuing three following issues: - to
describe the characteristic features of the morality play in Dr. Faustus - to point out the
features which lead me to interpret it as a Renaissance tragedy - to describe the purpose of the
morality play structure in Dr. Faustus. Pursuing these objectives, I am, first of all, going to
summarise the main characteristics of the morality play in order to see, how to apply them to
Marlowe’s play. Then I will concentrate on the differences and similarities between Dr.
Faustus and the morality play on structural and thematic levels. In the last chapter of the
paper I will focus on the issue of the function of the morality play structure in Dr. Faustus. In
conclusion I will summarize my arguments which support the thesis that the play should
rather be seen as tragedy than as a morality play.

1. Morality play as a literary genre

Firstly, we have to define the term “morality play”. According to Morner ”morality play is a
type of allegory in dramatic form, popular in the later middle ages and early Renaissance.
The hero, who represents all humankind, is surrounded by personifications of virtues, vices,
angels, demons, and death – all the forces of good and evil, who battle for possession for the
hero’s soul.”[2] This definition seems to describe the genre in its most characteristic way.
However, it requires some additional explanations.

The main hero of the morality play is not an individual character. He usually has a name
which just distinguishes him from the other characters in the play, like Everyman or
Mankind. But it is not a personal name. The reader usually knows nothing about his origin or
social background, about his habits or character. The only thing is obvious: the hero
represents all Christians. The main hero must confront different forces which are represented
by allegorical figures. The allegorical figures stand for different moral issues. They struggle
for the hero’s soul. The battle for the possession of the man’s soul can be seen as the main
theme of the morality play.

Typically, the main hero lives in innocence and is led into temptation by some evil forces,
while some forces of good try to turn him to the godly path. This struggle leads to the fall of
the hero. The repentance of the hero is an important aspect of the morality play. The scene,
where the hero shows that he is sorry for his wrong behaviour, is an essential part of the
action. Typically the hero is redeemed and forgiven by God or other forces of good.

Another important aspect of the morality plot is the presence of comic elements in the plot.
“By the sixteenth century some of the morality plays had admitted so much realistic and
farcical material that they began to establish a tradition of English comedy.”[3] The functions
of the comic scenes in plays which treated serious religious and moral issues can be taken to
mean in different ways. Possibly they were supposed to foreshadow events to come or cover
passages of time. They also could be imagined to be a parody of the main plot.

The morality play was supposed to have a moral conclusion, related to the accepted rules of
good and bad behaviour of that time. The aim of the play was to teach some kind of a moral
lesson (e.g. religious obedience) for masses.